The Cannon Balls Podcast

S1 E23: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is back to talk to host Michael Arace of thedisrespected.com. The offer sheet tendered by the Philadelphia Flyers rocked the #nhl. Is Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli the next target? #cbj GM Don Waddell remains busy with his Fantilli and the rest of his restricted free agents. Then, there's Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski and the weirdness behind his alleged trade request -- followed by his statement that he "wants to win in Columbus." What will the Jackets' lineup look like next year? We've got a lot of ground to cover in this one ...

After a whirlwind week of reports that #cbj defenseman Zach Werenski wanted out of Columbus, and that he'd nixed a trade to the #dallasstars, Werenski made a statement saying "I want to win in Columbus." A day after the reigning Norris Trophy winner made this announcement, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell met the local media.

ESPN's longtime NHL/college hockey voice, John Buccigross, is back to talk to host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com. #cbj Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski looks like he's angling for a trade and we go deep on the subject. Should ownership and management say, "No, we're not trading you," and go public? Oh, and then there's Kirill Marchenko, whose agent is stirring up trade talk. Can the Jackets afford to lose their best player and top goal scorer? We also discuss the Columbus Blue Jackets' first-round pick, Oscar Hemming, and former first-round pick Cayden Lindstrom.

S1 E22: For good or ill, Timothy, Matthew and Owen Arace came out of the womb as Blue Jackets fans. In their formative years, they were known within the household as a collective, the "Reign of Terror." In this latest Reign edition of Cannon Balls, they weigh in on the #cbj prior to the draft. There's not a surplus of hope here, not with the Zach Werenski question looming like a dark cloud. The show was recorded Wednesday night -- a day before the Jackets acquired winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche for three picks, and two days before the first round of the draft. #NHL #NHLDraft

Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager meets the local media a day ahead of the first round of the NHL draft. Right off the hop, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic gets to the Zach Werenski question. #cbj #nhl #nhldraft

S1 E21: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the mayor of Jacketville, rejoins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to talk about the Stanley Cup grind, an unenjoyable final, Mike Babcock (!), the big month ahead for the #cbj and much, much more.

S1 E20: The Mayor of Jacketville, Aaron Portzline, and his dog, Bella, join host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com on a busy #CBJ news day. Zach Werenski wins the Norris Trophy, a huge milestone in the franchise history of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Former AGM Chris MacFarland is moving from Colorado to Nashville to run the hated Predators. Trent Vogelhuber is coming down from Cleveland to join the major-league coaching staff in CBus. What's up with Boone Jenner and the other UFAs? Why did the Cleveland Browns trade Miles Garrett? Porty looks into his crystal ball.

S1 E19: The NHL season is slowing down for ESPN's John Buccigross, who called VGN's 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night. Bucci, a longtime friend of the program, joins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to talk about growing up in Jimmy Stewart's hometown, moving to Mini Pittsburgh at age 11, D-III Cawlidge hoops, and a whole lot about the Columbus Blue Jackets and their immediate future. Fun fact: Bucci interviewed for the #cbj play-by-play job prior to the inaugural season.

S1 E18: When they were young, Owen, Timothy and Matthew Arace were known as the collective, "The Reign of Terror." The havoc they wrought on the household is now being repaid by the misery visited upon them by their favorite NHL team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. #cbj The Reign rejoins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com for another episode of the soon-to-be-award-winning Cannon Balls podcast. They talk draft-lottery curses, changes behind the bench, RFA trade targets and much more ...

S1 E 17: When they were young, this trio was known within the household as "The Reign of Terror." Now, Owen, Timothy and Matthew Arace are writing report cards. The Reign rejoins their sire, Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com, on the latest episode of the soon-to-be-ward winning Cannon Balls podcast. #cbj